Cresson TB Sanatorium Remembered
Cecil Suber

The following story and photo were sent to me in 2010 by Cecil Suber. 

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Hi Chuck,

I read the piece you put in the paper about Cresson Sanatorium and a reunion.  My sister-in-law sent it to me.  Glad to hear about the reunion, as I always wondered why we didn’t have one.  We had a small get together once in the parking lot shortly after I left the san, but that’s all.  I’m glad you moved up the reunion a couple of years.  If at that time I can be of help, just whistle

The san became a big part of a lot of people’s lives.  I know it changed mine.  I was a patient in 1954 and 1955 in wards L&N, R&S and J&K.  I also lived out in the Unit for some time.  After I made meals, I took a job delivering the drugs and mail to all the wards and helping out in the Post Office sorting mail.  Met lots of nice people and made lots of nice friends.  After I left there, I married one of my nurses, Gladys Hogue, who passed away on December 6, 2010.   Most of my wife’s family lived in Cresson or nearby.  I knew Gail Siebolt as she was one of my nurses, I think in R&S ward.  I’ve got lots of memories of the san. 

I smoked for eight years prior to the san.  I quit the night I learned I had the “Big T”.  I was lucky as I was single and had no great cares.  I watched other people fret away their lives because of problems at home. 

I spent a lot of time in the OT (Occupational Therapy).  Leita Sitman was a woman who worked there.  I carved leather and made doilies, painted pictures and lots of other stuff.  We needed a place like that to use up the time.

I remember the barber “Spriggs” who lived just down the hall from me in the Unit.   I remember how pretty the leaves were one fall.  Then along came a storm named Hazel in 1954 and no leaves were left on the trees the next morning.

On Saturday morning from out in the Unit, I used to walk down to a bar on the hill and have a couple of brews.  It was owned by Jack Siebolt, Gail’s husband.  A walk back through the woods was always beautiful.

I became friends with several doctors while I was a patient including Dr. Treshler, Dr. O’Leary and Dr. Shan Ho Ma.  The latter used to show me x-rays and point out different features on them down at x-ray.  I especially liked the Surgery Unit.  I took medicine over there and could visit many people I knew who had surgery.  It was a very clean place.  I remember visiting Chuck Latta there.  He and I were friends.

I’m sure you have some of the same memories that I have of the place.

Cecil Suber

 

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1.  Cecil and Gladys Suber on their Wedding Day on August 25, 1956 in Loretto, PA.  They met when Cecil was a patient in L&N ward in 1954.